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Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

I can see that being the reason up to K maybe. Free daycare with barely qualified staff and peers that look like you. But how can any decent parent continue to say the best thing for their 3rd grader is a failing school with mediocre, underpaid staff and debt over their heads?

What if your child is one of the 26% with special needs, and you are convinced that CMI is better at educating them that other schools?

Even if that's the case, wouldn't you be worried about having to move your child in 2 years when the school is bankrupt? Also, what about the other 74%?

And their reputation as a school that serves SPED students well is overblown. By a lot. And CMI misinforms/underinforms families about their options and potential services that might benefit their child, if they are not services (like push-in) that are available at CMI.
It just happens that there is less clear and available information for SPED parents, so it's hard to figure out the degree to which you're not being served well - until you experience a different school or hire someone to help you.
-Fmr CMI SPED parent who has BTDT

I’m not arguing with you, but CMI has done a lot for my SPED kid. Nowhere else that I’ve seen would be a better fit.

What grade is your kid on? What other schools do you have experience with or are you just presuming?

She presumably has a better idea of her kid's wants and needs better than you or anyone else. And you've got to be delusional if you think she's going to ID her kid by grade and by school so everyone can go sniffing the child out.

Get a grip.

NP but no. One cannot make an assertion that X school is ‘better than any other school for X’ if her experience is a few open houses.

I said that it was the best fit for my kid. And, yes, I get to decide that.

You said nowhere else that you’ve seen would have been a better fit. It’s one thing to say it’s a great fit for your kid, but you cannot assess inferior fit in a 1 hour open house. Period.

Anonymous wrote:So does SSMA's FAR raise concerns, or is it a normal hangover of the move?

The PCSB comment suggests it is due to the move; depends on what happens in 2018 and beyond.

"The school had an operating deficit of ($448K) in 2017 compared with a deficit of ($33K) in 2016. Revenues grew by 23% from the
prior year, while expenses grew 37%. The driver of increased expenses was rent expense, which increased to $905K from $287K
one year earlier. The increase was due to a 10-year occupancy lease with Howard University which began in 2017. The school
is in negotiations with Howard University to purchase the building in an effort to reduce expenses as the anticipated mortgage
payments are expected to be less than the current lease obligation. As of the end of fiscal 2017, no formal agreement has been
obtained.

In 2017, the school’s current ratio, a financial indicator that speaks to the school’s liquidity, was an area of concern at 0.46. The
current liabilities exceeded the school’s current assets for the year by over $495K. The decrease in liquidity was primarily due to
the occupancy lease with Howard University. To address its liquidity needs and reduce expenses, the school has implemented cost
reduction activities including reductions in capital improvements and administrative costs."

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

I can see that being the reason up to K maybe. Free daycare with barely qualified staff and peers that look like you. But how can any decent parent continue to say the best thing for their 3rd grader is a failing school with mediocre, underpaid staff and debt over their heads?

What if your child is one of the 26% with special needs, and you are convinced that CMI is better at educating them that other schools?

Even if that's the case, wouldn't you be worried about having to move your child in 2 years when the school is bankrupt? Also, what about the other 74%?

And their reputation as a school that serves SPED students well is overblown. By a lot. And CMI misinforms/underinforms families about their options and potential services that might benefit their child, if they are not services (like push-in) that are available at CMI.
It just happens that there is less clear and available information for SPED parents, so it's hard to figure out the degree to which you're not being served well - until you experience a different school or hire someone to help you.
-Fmr CMI SPED parent who has BTDT

I’m not arguing with you, but CMI has done a lot for my SPED kid. Nowhere else that I’ve seen would be a better fit.

What grade is your kid on? What other schools do you have experience with or are you just presuming?

She presumably has a better idea of her kid's wants and needs better than you or anyone else. And you've got to be delusional if you think she's going to ID her kid by grade and by school so everyone can go sniffing the child out.

Get a grip.

NP but no. One cannot make an assertion that X school is ‘better than any other school for X’ if her experience is a few open houses.

I said that it was the best fit for my kid. And, yes, I get to decide that.

So does SSMA's FAR raise concerns, or is it a normal hangover of the move?

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

I can see that being the reason up to K maybe. Free daycare with barely qualified staff and peers that look like you. But how can any decent parent continue to say the best thing for their 3rd grader is a failing school with mediocre, underpaid staff and debt over their heads?

What if your child is one of the 26% with special needs, and you are convinced that CMI is better at educating them that other schools?

Even if that's the case, wouldn't you be worried about having to move your child in 2 years when the school is bankrupt? Also, what about the other 74%?

And their reputation as a school that serves SPED students well is overblown. By a lot. And CMI misinforms/underinforms families about their options and potential services that might benefit their child, if they are not services (like push-in) that are available at CMI.
It just happens that there is less clear and available information for SPED parents, so it's hard to figure out the degree to which you're not being served well - until you experience a different school or hire someone to help you.
-Fmr CMI SPED parent who has BTDT

I’m not arguing with you, but CMI has done a lot for my SPED kid. Nowhere else that I’ve seen would be a better fit.

What grade is your kid on? What other schools do you have experience with or are you just presuming?

She presumably has a better idea of her kid's wants and needs better than you or anyone else. And you've got to be delusional if you think she's going to ID her kid by grade and by school so everyone can go sniffing the child out.

Get a grip.

NP but no. One cannot make an assertion that X school is ‘better than any other school for X’ if her experience is a few open houses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

I can see that being the reason up to K maybe. Free daycare with barely qualified staff and peers that look like you. But how can any decent parent continue to say the best thing for their 3rd grader is a failing school with mediocre, underpaid staff and debt over their heads?

What if your child is one of the 26% with special needs, and you are convinced that CMI is better at educating them that other schools?

Even if that's the case, wouldn't you be worried about having to move your child in 2 years when the school is bankrupt? Also, what about the other 74%?

And their reputation as a school that serves SPED students well is overblown. By a lot. And CMI misinforms/underinforms families about their options and potential services that might benefit their child, if they are not services (like push-in) that are available at CMI.
It just happens that there is less clear and available information for SPED parents, so it's hard to figure out the degree to which you're not being served well - until you experience a different school or hire someone to help you.
-Fmr CMI SPED parent who has BTDT

I’m not arguing with you, but CMI has done a lot for my SPED kid. Nowhere else that I’ve seen would be a better fit.

What grade is your kid on? What other schools do you have experience with or are you just presuming?

She presumably has a better idea of her kid's wants and needs better than you or anyone else. And you've got to be delusional if you think she's going to ID her kid by grade and by school so everyone can go sniffing the child out.

Get a grip.

Anonymous wrote:Yikes, SSMA is also in bad shape. How did their rent increase by $600K in one year?!?

THey acquired a new building and were paying to renovate it while occupying another space.

Yikes, SSMA is also in bad shape. How did their rent increase by $600K in one year?!?

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

I can see that being the reason up to K maybe. Free daycare with barely qualified staff and peers that look like you. But how can any decent parent continue to say the best thing for their 3rd grader is a failing school with mediocre, underpaid staff and debt over their heads?

What if your child is one of the 26% with special needs, and you are convinced that CMI is better at educating them that other schools?

Even if that's the case, wouldn't you be worried about having to move your child in 2 years when the school is bankrupt? Also, what about the other 74%?

And their reputation as a school that serves SPED students well is overblown. By a lot. And CMI misinforms/underinforms families about their options and potential services that might benefit their child, if they are not services (like push-in) that are available at CMI.
It just happens that there is less clear and available information for SPED parents, so it's hard to figure out the degree to which you're not being served well - until you experience a different school or hire someone to help you.
-Fmr CMI SPED parent who has BTDT

I’m not arguing with you, but CMI has done a lot for my SPED kid. Nowhere else that I’ve seen would be a better fit.

What grade is your kid on? What other schools do you have experience with or are you just presuming?

I said I wasn’t going to argue with you. Our experience has been really positive. It’s ok for people to have different experiences I’m sorry it didn’t work for you and I’m glad that you’ve found a school that is better for your child(ren).

I have no problem with you saying it serves your kid well. I’m happy for you. My issue is that you state nowhere else would be a better fit and I’m wondering how do you know that without physically experiencing other schools?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

Their classrooms are not much smaller than most charters anymore. And other charters that pay their teachers almost double the salary.

CMI is going to have to start expanding class size, probably an additional 4 or 5 students. The probelm is that the rooms themeselves, at least the ones I have been in are very small.

Are they at their current enrollment ceiling? If so, adding additional students requires going to the PCSB for approval, and they may not meet the criteria (see the policy here)

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/report/Redacted%20ECI%20Policy%202018.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

Their classrooms are not much smaller than most charters anymore. And other charters that pay their teachers almost double the salary.

CMI is going to have to start expanding class size, probably an additional 4 or 5 students. The probelm is that the rooms themeselves, at least the ones I have been in are very small.

My child's K classroom this year was already tight. I can't imagine adding another 4 children in there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

Their classrooms are not much smaller than most charters anymore. And other charters that pay their teachers almost double the salary.

CMI is going to have to start expanding class size, probably an additional 4 or 5 students. The probelm is that the rooms themeselves, at least the ones I have been in are very small.

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Anonymous wrote:I'd be more worried about the overleveraged MV opening a new campus and having a balloon payment due in January 2019

Wut

(And apparently having paid rent for the "new" building all this year?)

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

I can see that being the reason up to K maybe. Free daycare with barely qualified staff and peers that look like you. But how can any decent parent continue to say the best thing for their 3rd grader is a failing school with mediocre, underpaid staff and debt over their heads?

What if your child is one of the 26% with special needs, and you are convinced that CMI is better at educating them that other schools?

Even if that's the case, wouldn't you be worried about having to move your child in 2 years when the school is bankrupt? Also, what about the other 74%?

And their reputation as a school that serves SPED students well is overblown. By a lot. And CMI misinforms/underinforms families about their options and potential services that might benefit their child, if they are not services (like push-in) that are available at CMI.
It just happens that there is less clear and available information for SPED parents, so it's hard to figure out the degree to which you're not being served well - until you experience a different school or hire someone to help you.
-Fmr CMI SPED parent who has BTDT

I’m not arguing with you, but CMI has done a lot for my SPED kid. Nowhere else that I’ve seen would be a better fit.

What grade is your kid on? What other schools do you have experience with or are you just presuming?

I said I wasn’t going to argue with you. Our experience has been really positive. It’s ok for people to have different experiences I’m sorry it didn’t work for you and I’m glad that you’ve found a school that is better for your child(ren).

Totally get that everyone has different experiences (the PP was not me) and also that there are a different array of needs and services, some of which CMI can perhaps deliver on. I posted initially because I think that CMI gets painted with a broad brush of being good for SPED and I think it's more complicated than that. Because of how wildly terrible/traumatizing our experience was, I wish I had known of the systemic weaknesses before I subjected my kid to them. That's all.

-BTDT again

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

I can see that being the reason up to K maybe. Free daycare with barely qualified staff and peers that look like you. But how can any decent parent continue to say the best thing for their 3rd grader is a failing school with mediocre, underpaid staff and debt over their heads?

What if your child is one of the 26% with special needs, and you are convinced that CMI is better at educating them that other schools?

Even if that's the case, wouldn't you be worried about having to move your child in 2 years when the school is bankrupt? Also, what about the other 74%?

And their reputation as a school that serves SPED students well is overblown. By a lot. And CMI misinforms/underinforms families about their options and potential services that might benefit their child, if they are not services (like push-in) that are available at CMI.
It just happens that there is less clear and available information for SPED parents, so it's hard to figure out the degree to which you're not being served well - until you experience a different school or hire someone to help you.
-Fmr CMI SPED parent who has BTDT

I’m not arguing with you, but CMI has done a lot for my SPED kid. Nowhere else that I’ve seen would be a better fit.

What grade is your kid on? What other schools do you have experience with or are you just presuming?

I said I wasn’t going to argue with you. Our experience has been really positive. It’s ok for people to have different experiences I’m sorry it didn’t work for you and I’m glad that you’ve found a school that is better for your child(ren).